The Curious Case of Doctor Pierce
by Sindy Rosco
Summary: Agent Coulson's team are on the case once again when talk of a new threat to reaches them. It makes Hydra nervous. Will they be able to stop the it in time? Or will they need otside help?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Any constructive comments are welcome. I've looked over this for any mistakes but I am bound to have missed something. Looking but not seeing is something I'm a pro at! If anyone would be willing to do a read through for me I would be really grateful. Naturally, the wonderful universe I'm playing around in is the creation of Marvel and the lucky people who work with them.**

**Hopefully Happy Reading!**

Melinda entered the common area of the bus. There was a woman sitting on the coffee table with her nose planted in a book. A knife was in Melinda's hand before she was consciously aware her actions. She hit the silent alarm button on the hilt.

"Weaponry isn't needed, Agent May," the woman said without looking up from the thick volume.

Melinda would be more impressed by that trick if she hadn't used it a time or two herself.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Agent May's voice betrayed nothing but she was pissed that an unauthorised person had made it onto her bus.

The stranger looked up. Her vivid blue eyes were framed by long, dark eyelashes. She had olive toned skin and perfectly shaped lips. She was beautiful.

"Well, it would seem my reputation no longer precedes me," she said dryly. "I'm almost disappointed!"

The woman's voice had no discernible accent. An impressive skill, but not uncommon in the intelligence community. She tossed the book onto the sofa, one of FitzSimmons' Melinda noted, and stood up. It was then that Melinda noticed the discrete S.H.I.E.L.D. pin on the lapel of her dark grey suit.

"So!" she said, clapping her hands. "Where's Agent Coulson hiding? I'd go looking but I didn't think your team would take too kindly."

"Good call," Phil stated from behind May.

The woman shot him a dazzling smile. "If it isn't the man himself! I have to say you're looking very lively for a dead man. What's your secret?"

"Five a day and pilates," Coulson replied deadpan.

"I take it you know each other?" May said without turning.

"Unfortunately, we go way back. Though the hair is new," Phil drawled because he knew it would annoy their unexpected guest. "Black hair with a streak of white? Interesting choice. Agent May meet Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine."

May arched one perfectly shaped brow. It sort of spoke volumes to Phil. Melinda could say a lot without ever opening her mouth. Melinda May didn't trust their new house guest. She was a wise woman.

"It that your real name?" May couldn't resist the question.

Agent Fontaine answered with an elegant shrug. "I mostly go by Val or Agent Fontaine these days. Nor so much of a mouth full."

"Why are you here?" Coulson asked.

"Fury sent me to help."

Coulson stepped forward to stand beside Agent May. "The last time Fury sent you to help I ended up with a bullet in the thigh."

Agent Fontaine smirked. "Assignment related misunderstanding, I assure you."

Coulson's eye twitched. "Of course."

May slid her knife back up her sleeve. "How did you get on the plane unnoticed? Even if the director authorised you we should have been alerted."

"If I have to tell you, you'll never learn," Fontaine said.

Phil let out a tiny sigh. "Let's introduce you to the others before Ward storms in and shoots you," he said. Phil was tempted to let him.

* * *

May and Ward were too professional to betray much of their reaction at Agent Fontaine's sudden appearance on the bus. As far as they were concerned, once you entered the briefing room the fun and games stopped and the mission started. Skye and FitzSimmons, not so much. Phil observed the scene quietly. He'd be lying if he said the situation wasn't mildly entertaining.

Melinda was irritated. Phil made a mental note to steer clear of her for a while. It took a lot to really get under her skin. Once you did, watch out. Ward wasn't quite sure what to make of Agent Fontaine. Was this joker the legendary aide of Nick Fury? Skye kept muttering about Cruella de Vil. Phil hoped she let that one slip. FitzSimmons just wanted to know how she by passed their security measures.

Agent Fontaine was maintaining her favourite cover, while taking measure of the team. Phil liked to call it being an asshole.

"I really like the new digs, very vintage," Fontaine said.

Phil shrugged. "I'm fond of the classics."

"Clearly," she drawled. "I was so sure they'd retired these planes. A decade ago."

Phil opened his mouth for a scathing retort. Fitz spoke before him.

"Did you hack the door?" Fitz asked.

"Airlock in interrogation?"

Fitz scoffed at Simmons' suggestion. "Not without breaking into the security system. No easy thing."

"It wouldn't be breaking in if she has clearance! Which, apparently, she has."

"There would still be a trail," Fitz muttered as he tapped on his tablet."Teleportation?"

"Still haven't worked out the kinks."

"One day," FitzSimmons sighed together.

Ward rolled his eyes. "Please tell them," he said.

Agent Fontaine grinned. "Why?"

Agent May, however, was done with this nonsense. She coughed. FitzSimmons quietened immediately.

"The point of you being here?" May asked Fontaine.

Fontaine went serious for the first time. The change was startling. Now Phil was concerned. Usually, Val would draw out the asshole act for a bit longer.

Fontaine reached up to her ear and pulled off one of her stud earrings.

"If you analyse the material that is made of you will find it has incredible explosive properties."

Everyone was surprised by her announcement.

Simmons frowned and picked up the earring. "The density is extraordinary. What is it?"

"A completely new material. So new, it hadn't been officially named when I stole it. S.H.I.E.L.D. has dubbed it MX153," Fontaine said."About a year ago I was sent out. Fury had heard rumours of this new material. Everyone in the know was nervous, MI6, CSIS, even Hydra."

"Hydra?" Coulson asked. "I would've thought they'd be eager to get their hands on this stuff."

"Normally, they would be. Unless...,"Fontaine began.

"They felt threatened," Coulson finished. "Someone they're not too friendly with discovered this."

Fontaine nodded. "Correct. This material in the hands of a competitor would tip the power balance so far out of Hydra's favour, it would take a miracle for them to ever get any of it back. It took me months to find out if MX153 was real or Hydra's version of the boogie man. Finally I tracked down the creator."

"Who?" Ward asked.

"Someone working for Hammer industries, believe it or not."

Skye let out a snort. "Sorry."

Fontaine grinned. "Don't be. I was as surprised as you are."

Agent Fontaine took a flash drive from her pocket and threw it to Coulson.

"On there is all the information I have on the creator, Doctor Hannah Pierce. Along with a few other tid bits I think you'll find interesting. The theory is MX153 was discovered while Hammer industries was looking for something to rival the Ironman suit."

"So long ago?" Coulson asked.

"It was a one in a million accident. Doctor Pierce is undeniably a smart woman but she's not in the league of Stark or your FitzSimmons here. She had a happy accident. She was able to recognise the value of what she'd stumbled onto. Translating theory into something they could use proved more difficult and it took time. She didn't have the experience. How she finally did it? We don't yet know."

Phil had the greatest respect for women. He worked with so many brilliant and terrifying ones that it would be hard not to. The fact was, Justin Hammer hired women for their looks not their smarts. Pepper had often said the man was a pig.

"That small piece of MX153," Fontaine went on, "has the explosive capability to take out this entire plane."

Fitz took the earring from Simmons. "Why haven't they used it? Hammer industries stock plummets more everyday. What government, or terrorist group for that matter, wouldn't pay through the nose for this? Especially now that Stark no longer deals in weapons."

"They never got the chance," Ward said.

"Correct," said Fontaine. "A.I.M. managed to get hold of Doctor Pierce. It would seem she consulted with the wrong people. Hydra's fears were warranted."

Ward frowned. "So why haven't they used it?"

"Pierce never created much more than a sample of the material for security reasons," said Agent Fontaine. "The formula was in her head, not on a computer."

"A.I.M. is not above torture," May stated. "In fact, they're quite talented. Doctor Pierce is a scientist. It wouldn't take much to get the information they wanted."

Coulson thought about it for a moment. "They never got the chance to question the doctor, did they?"

"No they didn't," Fontaine said agreeably. "Some goons were rented. They weren't too careful or intelligent. They rammed her car when she was trying to get away. She hit a tree and is now in a coma. Which, I have to admit, is convenient for us. If she wakes up, A.I.M will get her to talk. If she doesn't, they'll find another way to get the information. We all know it's possible."

Agent Coulson ignored Fontaine's comment. He gestured for Fitz to hand him the earring. "In that case, ladies and gentlemen, we'll have a significant amount of trouble on our hands. Let's go see if we can stop it before it starts."

**Update: The improbably name "Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine" is a character of the Marvel universe. I kid you not. Jim Steranko created her and she first appeared in "Strange Tales" in the 1960's.**


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: thanks to everyone who read the previous chapter. Made my day checking those reader stats. As ever nothing Marvel belongs to me. Enjoy!

"Skye, you still in touch with any of your contacts?"Coulson asked.

"Only a couple. They're not so eager to chat any more. Go figure."

"See if they've heard anything about Doctor Pierce," Coulson replied. "If they're as good at digging things up as you've said, it's a possibility."

Coulson almost smiled when he glanced at his two young scientists. "FitzSimmons run every test you can think of on that fragment."

They grinned at him like a couple of school kids.

"I'm actually quivering with excitement!"Simmons gasped. She gripped Fitz' arm.

He let out a squawk. "Jemma, I'll drop it!"

The pair rushed out of the briefing room, bickering as they went.

For a moment everyone looked after them, bemused.

"What about the super dynamite?" Skye asked. "Do I ask about it?"

Coulson shook his head. "If they mention it in relation to the doctor, fair enough, encourage them to say more. But nothing is to come from you. We don't need any more information about this material getting out."

Phil listened to his people, and Fontaine, discuss what they knew. He held in a snort. His people were discussing. May and Ward were muttering between themselves. Skye was listening with wide eyes, making a remark of her own when she had something to add. Fontaine, on the other hand, was holding something back. It was a long time habit of hers.

She'd always liked to watch people figure things out on their own. And not to encourage personal growth either. "Val" loved to see that she knew more. Phil had to admit she was careful about how she indulged her habit. It had never interfered with a mission. She took too much pride in being the best to let that happen.

He pondered Fontaine showing up on the bus. Why was she here? He'd bet his hazard pay it was for more than their new mission. Fury sent her here for another reason. Phil was sure of that.

He didn't let himself worry. May could see her for what she was. Ward would soon get past the starry eyed wonder of meeting Fury's best wet works agent. Or May would beat it out of him, which ever came first. As for Skye, they were all well aware she wasn't good with secrets. Not if she thought something shouldn't be secret in the first place.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. database says the current leaders of A.I.M. are anything but stupid,"

Skye's remark drew Coulson's attention. He nodded, wondering where she was going with this.

"Rented thugs don't scream "intelligent" to me, A.C," Skye muttered.

Agent Fontaine smirked. "A.C?"

Coulson ignored her. Skye's comment made sense. He folded his arms. Details ran through his mind. Then it struck him as stupidly obvious. "The thugs weren't A.I.M. hires."

Everyone turned to look at him. Phil could kick himself for not considering it the moment he'd heard Fontaine's story.

"You assumed they were A.I.M.," he said to Fontaine. Though he had his doubts about that.

"But why would they outsource to capture Doctor Pierce? It was a straight forward civilian grab. There's enough cannon fodder in the A.I.M. ranks to build an army. They're expendable. No reason not to kill them once they'd handed her over, then you have those potential leaks in the lower ranks blocked. There was no reason for anyone else," Coulson was sure of it.

It was clear to everyone else in the room that Coulson was no longer speaking to any of them.

Skye turned a bit green at his new theory, his casual dismissal of human life. What did it take to think like that? Sometimes, she forgot what Coulson was.

"The people who rammed her car, where are they now?" Agent Coulson asked.

"S.H.I.E.L.D has them in custody," Fontaine replied.

"Was it verified that they were working for A.I.M.?"

Fontaine nodded. "That was their story, under polygraph."

"Can't those things be faked?" Skye said.

She received blank stares for that question.

"I get that you big, bad agents can out smart a polygraph test," Skye said. "But can these guys?"

Coulson had to admit she had a point.

"Well, think about it," Skye went on. "Whoever hired them knew they'd be polygraphed. Standard procedure for all you alphabet soup guys. If they're not A.I.M. like Coulson thinks, why not put A.I.M. in the spot light. They're a known threat. No one would be surprised that they were involved."

Coulson gestured for Skye to continue as he observed Agent Fontaine. She didn't seem surprised by Skye's theory. Coulson restrained the urge to shake her. Though it might be worth the resulting broken bones.

"Whoever they are, they don't want to draw attention to themselves yet. Because even though they want to be big they don't have the resources."

Fontaine raised her eyebrows. "Well, I can see why you keep her around! What about grim and grimmer here?"

May didn't so much as twitch at the comment. Ward's reaction wasn't as controlled.

"MX153 would certainly enhance a criminal's influence," May said calmly.

Ward frowned. "Not just a criminal's," he said. "It's stating the obvious, but a weapon like that would be a handy asset for an agency too."

Evidently, Fontaine and Director Fury had already come to that conclusion. As for why Fontaine hadn't told them the whole story in the first place, Coulson had to stop himself from reaching for his side arm.

"I take it we have a leak?"

Coulson and Fontaine eye balled each other for a long few seconds before Fontaine nodded.

"My team was a possibility?"

"Of course," Fontaine answered.

"Why send a level nine agent? Why didn't he go through me?"

"You ask but you already know." The sneer was clear in her voice.

It would seem, Coulson mused, that he'd lost Agent Fontaine's good opinion. How distressing.

"Maybe I want you to say it, Agent Fontaine," Coulson stated pleasantly.

She said nothing.

Phil surprised himself, as well as the others, when his voice rose slightly. "Why are you investigating my people?!"

Fontaine stepped closer to Agent Coulson. From the corner of his eye he could see May and Ward poised to strike.

"Listen to yourself, Agent. That is why,"Fontaine said coldly. "These people are more to you than colleges. You're all friends. Fury wasn't certain you could be trusted to do what was necessary if it came to it. So he sent me."

For a moment, Coulson felt as though he'd been slapped in the face. Logic told him that Fury was covering his bases. All possible leaks were pursued, unlikely or not. It was standard procedure. Paranoia was a way of life for them.

Still, all he could feel at the moment was hurt. One of his oldest friends suspected he wouldn't perform his sworn duties, perhaps. Nick thought he was a traitor. That he felt this way terrified him. Though he wasn't about to let this woman see that.

"And what have you decided, Agent Fontaine," he asked evenly.

Fontaine looked Coulson straight in the eye. "That most likely the leak did not originate with your team. As Fury predicted."

"Did it hurt to admit that, Agent?" Skye said, all innocence.

Phil was proud when the young women didn't flinch at the look Agent Fontaine shot her.

"I'll work from the lounge," Fontaine said before leaving the room.

Skye let out a long, low whistle. Ward scowled a little but said nothing.

"She knew FitzSimmons wouldn't be able to hide it if there was anything going on," May said.

"A.C.?" Skye said.

Coulson turned to her even though the last thing he wanted to do was talk.

"That was too easy. Why did she just take it all at face value? Sure, the science twins can't lie. That's not proof. We know what they're like. We wouldn't ask them to keep a secret. We'd make sure they knew nothing."

May arched one eyebrow. "Are you trying to prove us guilty?"

Coulson could hear the tone of amusement in his friend's voice. If he wasn't so wrung out, he'd chuckle.

Skye flushed. "No! Prison does not sound fun. But..."

"She's not finished," Ward said. "We're under the scope until the day she leaves. Fontaine doesn't have proof either way yet and we know none of us has something to do with this. We have nothing to worry about."

"Ward's right, Skye. Don't let Fontaine get inside your head."

Phil wasn't sure who he was really telling that to, himself or Skye.

* * *

He sat alone in his office, surrounded by his collection. They were the only things that had stayed the same. Phil tried to take comfort in that façade of permanency and couldn't. Everything was different. He was different. Fontaine could see it. And she wasn't the first. Fury and Hill could see it when they looked at him. Fontaine was here because of him.

The words of his unwanted guest had struck home. Could he kill, Melinda? Or Ward? Would he be able to put a bullet through Skye's forehead? And FitzSimmons? Coulson felt sick just thinking about it. He'd never be able to hurt his team.

For a long time he'd been the man who would do anything for S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson was the one no enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D. ever wanted to cross. If you were stupid enough to leave a trail, he would catch you.

Who was he now?


End file.
